Lemon Cupcakes

So it is Mat's second week at his new job, and he loves it - yay! So since his new work is treating him well I thought they deserved another batch of cupcakes. This time it was a recipe that I have been meaning to try for some time because I found the method quite interesting. The end result was really good, the cake has a nice soft crumb, isn't too sweet and has a nice subtle lemon flavour. And how can you ever go wrong with cream cheese frosting?


Lemon Cupcakes with Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting (from Better Homes and Gardens - Christmas 2007)
Makes 17 cupcakes

4 eggs
1 1/2 cups caster sugar
1/2 tsp salt
Finely grated rind of 2 lemons
1 1/3 cups plain flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 cup almond meal
160ml cream
100g unsalted butter, melted
Juice of 1 lemon

For the frosting:
80g unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup icing sugar, sifted (I used 4 cups so that it was nice and stiff)
Finely grated rind and juice of 1 lemon
125g cream cheese, softened (I used 250g)

1. Preheat the oven to 170C. Line 2 12-hole muffin trays with cupcake cases.
   
2. Put the eggs, sugar, salt and lemon rind in a medium mixing bowl, and using the whisk attachment on our electric mixer for 3 minutes or until light in colour. Sift in the flour and baking powder with the almond meal and cream. Whisk until well combined. Add melted butter and lemon juice and whisk again.
3. Spoon mixture into cupcake cases and bake for approximately 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
   
4. To make the frosting: beat the butter and cream cheese until smooth, slowly add the icing sugar beating continually, finally add the lemon juice and rind and beat until smooth.

On the third day of Christmas (Iced Lemon Cookies)

There is only 29 days left until Christmas! Can you believe it? So what are your plans this year?

I plan to put up the Christmas tree and decorations on the 1st of December. I am also making some Christmas stockings for everyone in the family - even the cats. We will be having Christmas lunch with my mother and sister at our place, with simple food and of course dessert. The gifts this year are going to be simple - homemade gifts baked with love, some new toys for the little one and some other small bits and bobs.

Enough about that. Lets talk about these Iced Lemon Cookies. I had trouble with these cookies - again the dough would not come together so I had to slightly alter the recipe. Then came the royal icing piping. Well you'll see how that turned out. And finally the cookies were just a bit bleh - not very lemony and not that sweet. So not my favourite, I probably won't make them again.


Iced Lemon Cookies (from Better Homes and Gardens - December 2007)
Makes 30 small cookies (or 16 large cookies)

2 cups plain flour
1/2 cup almond meal
1/2 cup caster sugar
pinch of salt
125g butter, chilled, chopped
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 tsp lemon essence
extra flour, for kneading

1. Put flour, almond meal, sugar and salt in a food processor and process for 30 seconds. Add butter and process until mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add egg and lemon essence and process until mixture forms into a ball (I needed to add another half an egg before my dough would come together).
2. Knead dough on a lightly floured surface until smooth. Pat dough into a disc, put into a plastic bag and refrigerate for 1 hour.
3. Preheat oven to 160C. Line 2 oven trays with baking paper. Roll out dough between 2 sheets of baking paper until 5mm thick. Use a Christmas cutter to cut out shapes. Put shapes on oven trays. Bake for 12 minutes or until cooked through. Leave on trays for 5 minutes and then transfer to a wire rack to cool.
4. Ice with royal icing (recipe below).
   

Royal Icing (if you don't trust raw egg whites you could use this recipe instead)

2 egg whites
4 cups icing sugar, sifted
1 tsp lemon juice

1. Beat egg whites until frothy.
2. Add icing sugar a little at a time until you have stiff peaks.
3. Beat in the lemon juice.
   

When I started to ice this cookies I quickly discovered that I have ZERO piping skills. And I mean zero. Look at my sorry excuse for piping...


It kind of made me angry....


And this little man was very sad about the way he was piped...


I tried to talk him out of it....


But it was too late...


Luckily the 10 second rule applies in this house and we got to eat him.


Oh well - practice makes perfect. I'll just have to make more cookies!

Rating?
2 out of 5 reindeers!

Y is lemon 'Y'oghurt Cupcakes

Lemon yoghurt cake topped with blueberry swiss meringue buttercream

What comes to mind when you think of yoghurt? To me it is instantly berries - delicious, fantastic berries. When yoghurt won the poll I knew straight away that I wanted to incorporate berries into the cupcakes somehow. But then I remembered the waffle cupcakes, they had blueberries in the cake and I only made them a short while ago. So I decided that the cake portion of these cupcakes would have to have a different flavour, something that goes well with berries. And that my friends is how I decided upon lemon yoghurt cupcakes.


Lemon Yoghurt Cupcakes (from Best Recipes)
Makes approximately 24 cupcakes

1 3/4 cups caster sugar
2 eggs
1/2 tsp salt
2-3 tsp lemon juice (I used 3)
Grated zest of 2 lemons
3/4 cup oil (I used vegetable oil)
1 cup natural yoghurt (I used low-fat)
2 cups self-raising flour

1. Preheat oven to 180 C and line 2 12-hole muffin trays with cupcake cases.
   
2. In a bowl mix sugar, eggs, salt, juice, zest and oil with a fork.
3. Add remaining ingredients and combine well.
4. Bake for 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
   

Now seen as I had some frozen blueberries left over from the previously made waffle cupcakes I decided that the buttercream would be blueberry flavoured, so....

Blueberry Swiss Meringue Buttercream

4 egg whites
270g caster sugar
250g unsalted butter
500g blueberries, pureed

1. Follow the directions for Almond SMBC but replace the vanilla and almond with the pureed blueberries.
2. Once the cupcake have cooled pipe a swirl of the SMBC onto each cupcake.

Doesn't it look pretty...


And just for a bit of fun I thought I would show you my miniature photography set up today. Normally I have a big light box out but I couldn't be bothered moving it. So a piece of paper and three lamps seemed to work quite nicely.


The ratings?

Me - 7/10 - I love the blueberry SMBC but the cake was a bit dense/too moist for me. Still yummy though :)
Mat - 7/10 - it was good but he is over lemon.

Baking Mondays - L is for Lemon Cupcakes

Lemon cupcakes filled with lemon curd and topped with lemon swiss meringue buttercream.

This week lemon won the polls, secretly I was hoping for lamington, but it wasn't to be. So I decided to test out the recipe for lemon cake in Confetti Cakes for Kids. I had high hopes for this cake and was looking forward to using my new oven, so without further ado I present you with my lemon cupcake baking experience...

Lemon Cake from Confetti Cake for Kids
Makes 24 cupcakes (I got 35 out of it!)

First the ingredients...

8 ounces cake flour, sifted (if you don't have cake flour, use 2 cups of plain flour, remove 4 tbsps of the flour and replace with corn flour)
9 ounces plain flour, sifted
2 1/4 tsp baking powder, sifted
8 ounces unsalted butter
21 ounces caster sugar
1 tbsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 tsp lemon zest (I would put more in next time)
1 tbsp lemon juice
3/4 tsp salt
8 ounces egg whites (about 7 eggs)
12 ounces milk

First preheat your oven to 180 degrees celsius and line 2 12-hole muffin tins with cupcake liners.


First step is to cream the butter and sugar using a paddle attachment in a stand mixer. Beat on medium until light and fluffy.


Next add the vanilla, lemon zest, lemon juice and salt. Set the mixer to low speed and gradually add the egg whites, scraping often. Alternately add the flours and baking powder and milk to the butter mixture in two batches, starting with the dry ingredients. Scrape down the bowl between additions and beat until thoroughly combined. Set the mixer to medium-high speed for about 20 seconds.


Divide the batter among your lined muffin tins and bake for 20 to 25 minutes (I did 20 minutes and it was a bit too long).


Allow to cool for 20 minutes. Meanwhile make your,

Lemon swiss meringue buttercream.

400g caster sugar
6 egg whites
375g unsalted butter
1 1/2 tbsp lemon juice
3 tbsp lemon curd


Combine the sugar and egg whites in a heat proof bowl over a pan of simmering water and whisk until egg whites are hot - you should be able to rub the mixture between your fingers and not feel any sugar granules.


Next with the whisk attachment whip your egg white mixture for about 8 minutes on high speed. Then change to a paddle attachment and with the mixer on low speed add small amounts of butter to the mix until all the butter is added. Beat the mixture on medium speed until the frosting thickens (you will know when this happens when you here a slapping sound coming from the mixing bowl). Add the lemon juice and lemon curd and beat to combine.


Now cut a well out of each cupcake and fill with lemon curd - for me a 350g jar was enough for the swiss meringue buttercream and to fill 35 cupcakes.


Finally frost each of the cupcakes - and then stand back and marvel at the lemony goodness that are the cupcakes that you just created.


So the ratings?

Me - 8/10, the cake could do with some more lemon zest, I loved the curd filling and I loooovved the lemon swiss meringue buttercream. Also I baked the cupcakes a little too long so they were a tiny bit dry - still getting used to the new oven :)

Mat - 7/10, lamingtons should of won (he said this while giggling)


If you made it this far don't forget to enter the giveaway!

And the winner is...

Lemon!

Tune in on Monday to see the 'L'ovely cupcake creations!

Baking Mondays - J is for Jube Cupcakes

Strawberry, lemon and orange cupcakes topped with strawberry, lemon and orange swiss meringue buttercream, then sprinkled with coloured sugar crystals and topped with a jube.

This week Jubes won the poll and at first I was having some trouble deciding what to bake. I decided upon three Jube flavours - strawberry, orange and lemon. I wanted the top of the cupcakes to look like a jube so I went a little big crazy with the coloured sugar crystals - they would of looked better if I didn't rush spreading on the swiss meringue buttercream. Oh well they still tasted good and that is the main thing. Okay time for the recipes...

Jube Cupcakes
Makes 36 cupcakes

270g unsalted butter, softened
270g cream cheese, softened
450g caster sugar
6 eggs
150g self-raising flour, sifted
225g plain flour, sifted
1 lemon
lemon essence
yellow food colouring
1 orange
orange essence
orange food colouring
strawberry essence
pink food colouring

1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees celsius and line 3 12-hole muffin trays with cupcake liners.
2. Beat butter, cream cheese and sugar until light and fluffy.
3. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, scraping the bowl between each addition.
4. Beat in flours on low speed.
5. Divide the batter into 3 equal portions.
6. To make the lemon cupcakes add the zest and juice of one lemon, a few drops of lemon essence and a little yellow food colouring to one of the bowls of batter and gently mix.
   
7. To make the orange cupcakes add the zest and juice of one orange, a few drops of orange essence and a little orange food colouring to one of the bowls of batter and gently mix.
8. To make the strawberry cupcakes add a few drops of strawberry essence and a little pink food colouring to one of the bowls of batter and gently mix.
9. Divide all three batters into cupcake liners and bake for 20 minutes.

Jube Swiss Meringue Buttercream

400g caster sugar
6 egg whites
375g unsalted butter
juice of one lemon
yellow food colouring
juice of one orange
orange food colouring
strawberry topping
pink food colouring

1. Combine the egg whites and sugar into a heatproof bowl and whisk over a saucepan of simmering water until sugar is dissolved and the mixture is as hot as you can get it without the egg whites cooking.
2. With the whisk attachment on your mixer whisk the egg white and sugar mixture on high speed until a stiff meringue is formed and the mix has cooled down to room temperature.
3. Now put the paddle attachment on your mixer and with the mixer on a low speed add a tablespoon or two of butter at a time. Once all the butter is incorporated turn the mixer up to medium speed and mix until the mixture is light and fluffy again.
4. Divide the buttercream between three bowls.
5. To make the lemon buttercream add the lemon juice and a little yellow food colouring and beat until incorporated.
6. To make the orange buttercream add the orange juice and a little orange food colouring and beat until incorporated.
7. To make the strawberry buttercream add strawberry topping to taste and a little pink food colouring.

Assembling the cupcakes

1. Pipe the orange buttercream on the orange cupcakes, lemon on lemon, strawberry on strawberry.
2. Sprinkle cupcakes with orange, yellow and pink sugar crystals.
3. Top with orange, lemon and strawberry jubes.

The ratings?

Me - 7/10 - these tasted good, had a good texture - but didn't have the major wow factor. Still good cupcakes though :)
Mat - 6/10 - more akin to a traditional cupcake, the bolder cupcake experiments tend to be much better.

Baking Mondays - Banana Cupcakes with Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting

This week I had some left over bananas that were beginning to get a bit overripe - so it was a perfect opportunity for some banana cupcakes. I decided to finish off the cupcakes with some lemon cream cheese frosting and it was delightful! I am very happy with these cupcakes.

So the recipes...

Sour Cream Banana Cupcakes (from The Australian Women's Weekly - Cupcakes)
Makes 12

90g butter, softened
110g brown sugar
2 eggs
75g self raising flour
75g plain flour
1/2 tsp bicarb soda
1/2 tsp mixed spice
2/3 cup overripe banana
80g sour cream
2 tbsps milk

1. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees celsius and line a 12-hole muffin tray with cupcake liners.
2. Beat butter, sugar and eggs until light and fluffy. Note: If I do these again I will beat the butter and sugar on its own first, and then the eggs to get a better consistency.
3. Stir in sifted ingredients, banana, sour cream and milk.
4. Divide batter amongst cupcake liners, and bake for 20 minutes.

Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting
Made more than enough for 12 cupcakes

60g butter, softened
250g cream cheese
500g icing sugar, sifted
juice of 1 lemon

1. Beat butter and cream cheese until combined, light and fluffy.
2. Add the icing sugar and beat until combined.
3. Add the lemon juice and beat until combined, and then keep beating until smooth.

And the ratings?

Me - 9/10 - yum, yum, yum! These were light, moist and delicious. The icing was very tangy and sweet - loved it! My only issue is that the cake could taste a little bit more like bananas.
Mat - 9/10 - best banana cake that I have made so far (even though I have only made one before :P)

Baking Mondays - ICE Entry: Soda Pop - Raspberry Lemonade Cupcakes

The magic ingredient in this month's Iron Cupcake Earth contest is soda pop or as we like to call it here in Australia - soft drink! My immediate thought was my favourite drink - a fire truck (lemonade and raspberry cordial)! So I made lemonade cupcakes with fresh raspberries in the middle of them then topped it with raspberry swiss meringue buttercream and then a dollop of lemon swiss meringue buttercream and a raspberry lolly. The result a very moist and tangy cupcake with a lovely sweet frosting. Here is one of the fire truck marvels:

The ratings?

Me - 7/10, loved the frosting combination - the lemon was awesome! The cake was very moist and extremely tangy - maybe a little too tangy.

Mat - 5/10, not a raspberry fan :P

And now the recipes...

Lemonade Raspberry Cupcakes
Makes 12

1/2 cup butter
1 cup caster sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup lemonade
zest and juice of one lemon
1 1/2 cups plain flour
3/4 tsp baking powder
1/8 tsp salt
24 fresh raspberries

1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees celsius and line a 12 hole muffin tray with cupcake liners.
   
2. Beat butter until fluffy.
   
3. Add the sugar and lemon zest and beat on medium-high until light and fluffy.
4. Add eggs one at a time, scraping the sides of the bowl in between additions.
5. Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl. Add to the butter mixture and stir until combined.
6. Add the lemonade and lemon juice, and mix to combine.
7. Scoop mix into cupcake liners to two-thirds full. Inserting 2 fresh raspberries in each cupcake.
   
8. Bake for 18-20 minutes until a cake tester comes out clean.

Swiss Meringue Buttercream

4 egg whites
1 1/4 cups caster sugar
250g unsalted butter

1. Combine the egg whites and sugar into a heatproof bowl and whisk over a saucepan of simmering water until sugar is dissolved and the mixture is as hot as you can get it without the egg whites cooking.
2. With the whisk attachment on your mixer whisk the egg white and sugar mixture on high speed until a stiff meringue is formed and the mix has cooled down to room temperature.
3. Now put the paddle attachment on your mixer and with the mixer on a low speed add a tablespoon or two of butter at a time. Once all the butter is incorporated turn the mixer up to medium speed and mix until the mixture is light and fluffy again.
4. Divide the SMBC into two bowls.
5. To make the raspberry swiss meringue buttercream add raspberry jam and a little red food colouring until you get the desired colour and flavour. Mix on medium speed until you get a good piping texture.
   
6. To make the lemon swiss meringue buttercream add lemon juice and a little yellow food colouring until you get the descired colour and flavour. Mix on medium speed until you get a good piping texture.
   

And this month we are competing for the following prizes:

• A creation by FRUITFLYPIE, http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=16748
• a pair of cupcake earrings from LOTS OF SPRINKLES at http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=6057281.
• a sweet surprise from Sweet Cuppin' Cakes Cupcakery, http://www.acupcakery.com/
  
• PLUS, IronCupcake:Earth can not forget our good friend, CAKESPY, http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5243382, who is now going to be doing a piece for our winner each month until further notice - sweet!

Last and certainly not least, don’t forget our corporate prize providers: HEAD CHEFS by FIESTA PRODUCTS, http://www.fiestaproducts.com, HELLO CUPCAKE by Karen Tack and Alan Richardson, http://blog.hellocupcakebook.com, JESSIE STEELE APRONS http://www.jessiesteele.com; TASTE OF HOME books, http://www.tasteofhome.com; a t-shirt from UPWITHCUPCAKES.COM http://www.upwithcupcakes.com/. Iron Cupcake:Earth is sponsored in part by 1-800-Flowers, http://www.1800flowers.com .

Voting will begin no later than Wednesday, April 29 at 8 p.m. at NO ONE PUTS CUPCAKE IN A CORNER, http://www.ironcupcakemilwaukee.com and will be open through Monday, May 4 at 12 noon. But I will remind you of that later :).

Check out Iron Cupcake Earth at http://www.ironcupcakeearth.com to become a part of the excitement!!